History Has Been Made… The Flyweight Division Finally Has a New Flyweight Champion…
Henry Cejudo… take a bow. This is one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. The myth of Demetrious Johnson’s invincibility has finally been burst. The UFC has a new flyweight champion. The pair fought at UFC 227, in Los Angeles’s Staples Center, where Johnson was looking to defend his title for the 11th consecutive time.
This was the second time Cejudo and Johnson have fought. Last time, he lost by TKO in the first round. While he had definitely improved in his fights since then, nobody was really that willing to throw money away on him beating DJ. Well, he’s proved the doubters wrong. Cejudo is the first ever UFC champion and Olympic gold medallist in history.
Without a doubt, this was the greatest fight in the history of the division. It was back and forth and Cejudo finally won by split decision, ending the reign of the former pound for pound No. 1 fighter on the planet. Dana White breathes a sigh of relief.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6McBL-0EMsw
Exciting
It really was an exciting fight. Johnson made excellent use of his kicks in the first round, landing to the legs, body, and head. It looked like he had Cejudo’s number, slipping out of range of all of his shots. However, Cejudo came back in the second. He sealed the round with a takedown. It was all very close.
The third round saw Johnson come out strong. He applied a lot of pressure, landing knees and kicks to the body. Cejudo did get a takedown but it was all for nothing. Johnson’s slicker movement and forward pressure sealed the round. But then in the 4th, Cejudo managed to work DJ on the ground, applying his top game. Such a tight fight.
Finally, the 5th round came, and both men gave their all. Johnson had the better of it on the feet but got taken down again by Cejudo. He was able to clamber back to his feet. Both men struck each other with hands and knees, but it was Cejudo who did enough to nick the round. What a fantastic fight.
Reaction
This was a massive shock. That’s not to disrespect Cejudo, but it was simply a case that nobody will believe you can beat Demetrious Johnson until you beat Demetrious Johnson. The former champion told the post-fight press conference:
“I remember we were scrambling, and I maybe shot, and then he kind of pushed me over, and I rolled over my right knee, and I felt the pop, and I was like, ‘There goes the right LCL – fantastic’. And the foot was just from kicking and kicking and kicking.”
That’s how the fight game goes. He did throw a lot of kicks, but at the end of the day, that was his decision. It’s unfortunate for Johnson, but you got to deal with the hand you’re dealt, and for the first time, at flyweight, he just didn’t have enough in the tank to edge it.
What Next?
Needless to say, Johnson wants a rematch, but not straight away. In fairness, if any fighter on the planet deserves one after losing their title, it’s DJ. He’s broken the record for most successful title defenses in UFC history and looked previously untouchable. Even last night, the decision could arguably have gone the other way.
“It wasn’t like he blew me out of the water,” Johnson said. “First thing’s first. I’m not going to be like, ‘Ah, I want a rematch.’ I need to get healthy first. My health is No. 1, and I’m not going to sign a contract if I can’t get through eight weeks of training camp.”
It’s probably just as well he’s injured because the UFC gets to pretend that is why they don’t want to give him the rematch yet. They want Cejudo to fight TJ Dillashaw in a champion vs champion super fight. That looks likely to happen before Christmas. Stay classy UFC.
